The Malik Report

Updated 2x at 1:08 PM: Well, he’s neither big nor strong, but the Red Wings have at least added a depth forward who should help the Grand Rapids Griffins in former Pittsburgh Penguin Chris Conner:

CHRIS CONNER TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT

… Former Michigan Tech Star and Westland Native has Skated in 139 Career NHL Games with Pittsburgh and Dallas …

Detroit, MI… Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland today announced that the club has signed free agent forward Chris Conner to a one-year contract. In accordance with team policy, additional terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

Conner has registered 16G-24A-40P in 139 career NHL games as a member of the Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins. The 27-year-old native of Westland , Mich. originally began his professional hockey career in 2006 with the Iowa Stars (AHL) after spending four seasons with the Michigan Tech Huskies (WCHA) during which he tallied 69G-60A-129P in 151 games played. Conner has recorded 72G-102A-174P in 218 appearances at the AHL level with Iowa , Peoria and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The 5-foot-8, 180-pound Westland native has 16 goals, 24 assists and 30 penalty minutes in 139 games over parts of five NHL seasons with Dallas and Pittsburgh.

Conner scored the game-winning goal, on a penalty shot against Joey MacDonald, in the Penguins’ 4-1 win over the Red Wings on Jan. 18 at the Consol Energy Center.

He played four years at Michigan Tech and wasn’t drafted.

No contract details yet. It’s probably a two-way contract. Guessing he’ll compete for a spot in training camp, but the team already has 13 forwards on one-way deals and a 14th, Cory Emmerton, who must clear waivers to be sent back to Grand Rapids.

And Khan went to the same place I did—the Sports Forecaster—to learn about the 27-year-old:

ASSETS: Displays blazing speed and plenty of energy every shift. Works extremely hard and can play either wing position. Produces points at lower levels.

FLAWS: Is fairly tiny by today’s NHL standards and lacks the strength to win battles in the corners regularly. Also lacks a little hockey sense and confidence at the highest level.

Wings general manager Ken Holland confirmed in a text message that Conner signed a two-way contract.

He’ll likely be a depth forward, as the team already has 13 forwards signed to one-way contracts, plus Cory Emmerton, who would have to clear waivers to be sent back to Grand Rapids (AHL).

Conner (5-8, 180) is a native of Westland who starred at Michigan Tech from 2002-2006. He set career-highs with seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in 60 games for the Penguins last season. He also played in seven playoff games for the Penguins, scoring one goal.

In 139 career NHL games, between the Stars and Penguins, Connner has 16 goals, 24 assists and 40 points.

Hell of a player at Mich Tech when I got a chance to go to games. Obviously not built for the NHL but you never know what might happen.

Posted by
Joe
on 07/07/11 at 05:17 PM ET

I cannot beleive the pens let Conner go! Cheers to the WIngs…I watched this guy at Tech and he can score! Not a big forward but really quick and simply fun to watch! Cannot wait to see him in a Winged Wheel Sweater!!!

Posted by
trig34
from oxford, mi on 07/07/11 at 05:37 PM ET

Pluses
-great work ethic. Fantastic hustle.
-lots of speed
-so much speed that he causes D to blow assignments off controlled breakouts. Sometimes that ripple-effected into a goal for his line
-more physical than you would think, given his size

Minuses
-even-strength-only player (he’s far too small to take up lanes on the pk)
-no hands. At all. I’d feel more comfortable with Hal Gill on a breakaway than Conner.
-very small. He’s listed at 5-8, but is probably closer to 5-1.
-stronger defensemen make him a nonfactor on the forecheck/cycle. If the other team has big, mobile D, just scratch him, because he can’t contribute in any way against guys like that.

Conner IS a very useful player, but the situations in which he can be useful are sort of specific.

I expect him to make Detroit, not Grand Rapids, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t play every night.

Posted by
steviesteve
on 07/07/11 at 07:02 PM ET

This is just another GRG re-stock player. Does anyone actually believe he’ll play even ten games with the red wings? Who cares…...

I’m sorry, I apoligize for being a realist who would rather have some worth in life rather than worrying about a friggen dwarf AHL pickup. He’s not a prospect. What’s his potential? Temporary injury fill-in on the fourth-line. Wow really wanna know about this guy. Pfff. Some non-stupid focus. Let’s debate whether Legace will be our back-up this year, or better yet what’s Alexi Yashin up to while we at it.

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The Malik Report is a destination for all things Red Wings-related. I offer biased, perhaps unprofessional-at-times and verbose coverage of my favorite team, their prospects and developmental affiliates. I've joined the Kukla's Korner family with five years of blogging under my belt, and I hope you'll find almost everything you need to follow your Red Wings at a place where all opinions are created equal and we're all friends, talking about hockey and the team we love to follow.